At BAX, we foster creativity, encourage exploration, and provide a positive and nurturing environment. Our Summer Arts Program draws from our year-round education programs to provide young artists with opportunities to explore different forms of art and performance each week (including visual art, circus, dance, theater, tumbling, and music) while working towards an informal week-end performance or gallery. Guest arts specialists teach daily workshops, while a well-trained staff of group leaders and counselors support indoor and outdoor creative play and performance activities.

During BAX’s Summer Arts Program children entering kindergarten through 6th grade participate in three different groups:

Each week, the NanoBAXers investigate a unique exploratory theme guided by guest arts specialists through a morning performing arts workshop, in a range of disciplines including creative movement, dance, theater, storytelling, and tumbling, and an afternoon visual arts workshop. NanoBAXers group capacity is 25

Each week, the MegaBAXer and GigaBAXer groups work with two guest arts specialists to explore a different discipline, developing original material and new skills that are celebrated with friends and family at an informal week-end performance in the BAX Theater. MegaBAXers group capacity is 30. GigaBAXers group capacity is 30.

During the summer, students go outside each day to enjoy lunch and playtime in the nearby JJ Byrne Playground and Old Stone House sports field (between 3rd and 4th Streets on 5 Avenue).

About BAX Specialties

Drawing on BAX’s year-round education programs, our School Breaks Arts Program provides expert instruction in a range of specialties, including dance, tumbling, and theater, with an emphasis on cultivating creative expression. Working with professional artists in a playful environment, participants explore the performing arts as creators, performers, and audience-members, developing improvisation, performance, and collaborative skills.

YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE ART:

In an exploration of various arts media, young artists use the farthest reaches of their imaginations to go beyond ordinary arts-and-crafts, creating a whirlwind of individual and group paintings, sculptures, collages, and drawings that engage different themes and reflect their view of the world.

TUMBLE MOVES:

Tumbling at BAX integrates movement from yoga, modern dance, gymnastics, and partner acrobatics. Tumblers learn fun and fundamental tumbling skills, while increasing their flexibility and weight balance. Exploring basic concepts of time, space, shape, and form, these young tumblers will learn to be expressive through tumbling and basic inverted movement.

CIRCUS BERSERKUS:

Welcome to the Big Top! During this fun and creative circus week, young ringmasters learn basic circus and performance skills, from juggling to stilt-walking, that help build balance, precision and strength. Participants work independently and collaboratively to establish their own unique circus and performance style.

MUSICAL MADNESS:

A twist on traditional musical theater, young performers will explore voice, instruments, song making, and staging. Drawing on familiar stories and songs, young artists explore characters and scenes, adapt and author material, and enjoy a collaborative process as they gain confidence in their own creative voices.

THEATER MANIA:

Theater at BAX encourages the development of dynamic theater artists through visceral experiences engaging voices, bodies, and imaginations. Young actors explore technical skills, improvisational theater games, and embodied storytelling while working towards the development of original, collaboratively-devised material.

DANCE FRENZY:

In this lively and action packed dance week, young movers use their bodies and imaginations to create their own movement and explore a variety of dance traditions that include modern, hip hop, ballet, jazz, acro, and more.

Week-end Performances & Galleries

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At the end of the week, each group will have an opportunity to showcase the work, projects, and creations that they have developed during the week. We invite family members or your child’s caretaker to attend these showings.